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Led Zeppelin Stars Win Copyright Case

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Led Zeppelin has won a copyright infringement case over their classic song “Stairway to Heaven.”

A federal jury rejected a lawsuit alleging that songwriters Jimmy Page and Robert Plant stole the opening guitar riff of the anthem from a tune written by the late Randy Wolfe.

An eight-person jury decided there was not enough evidence to support claims by the estate of the late Spirit songwriter/guitarist that the beginning of “Stairway to Heaven” was grabbed from Spirit instrumental “Taurus” on Thursday after a week-long trial in Los Angeles.

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Page and Plant testified during the trial, insisting they had no knowledge of Wolfe’s Spirit track before they composed “Stairway To Heaven.” They were both cleared of any wrongdoing on Thursday morning.

Before his death, Wolfe was often asked about the similarities between his 1968 instrumental and Led Zep’s 1971 tune, but he always refused to take legal action.

Upon his death, relatives decided it was time to seek possible compensation.